chapter five.

"stop right there, you sneaky cat!" she heard hobi's voice while he chased her.

the sun was setting down and so was the day. the sky grew darker with the streetlights on the pavement coming to life one by one behind hyejin and the leaves of the trees rustled with the soft breeze before rain. cycles drove past them and the benches got vacated for the upcoming rain.

"give up already! i don't have the camera with me!" she yelled back at him. she had no will to give the camera anyways.

"i know you have it!" he answered followed by the sound of thunder.

"i'm not lying this time! stop chasing me! you're getting scarier!" she answered while her legs got weaker in each passing second. as if on cue, droplets of rain hit on her face with the growing wind. she shielded her face with her hand and continued running.

"you can't escape from me!" hobi said with the rain getting heavier. watching the girl slow her pace, he ran faster and grabbed the girl by her arms before letting out a laugh that was supposed to sound evil. he didn't let her speak a word as he led them under a tree as the shelter.

"you know, you can never play the role of a villian." it was the first thing that came out of her mouth after being caught by the man.

hobi puffed out a laugh in return to say, "i know, i need to work on my evil laugh." his face darkened after a second before he pulled out his hand and said, "now, the camera."

the girl whined and flapped her hands like a duck. she had tried so hard to distract him but she failed to put her spells on him. "i don't wanna!"

he huffed. the rain got slower and a steadier pace. "i told you before, we can find this guy easily if i handle this. i can check the cctv cameras-"

"then help me." she pleaded before shining her puppy eyes on him and continuing, "but i won't give you the camera."

"pretty stubborn, are we?" hoseok sighed as she broke into a smile. it was hard to persuade her once she set her mind into something. not having any other option he offered, "alright, let's work together on this."

"hell yes!" she exclaimed before colliding both of her hands in his and waving them. "are we good now?" she tilted her head.

"yup. let's get something from the café after the rain stops- not the one i work at. my treat for making up." hoseok smiled, radiating his yellow sun rays and the thunderstorm over his head subsiding.

as soon as their conversation ended, the rain too came to a stop. they stepped out of the shelter and started walking out of the park. namjoon must have gone home, hyejin thought.

"so, what were you talking with namjoon... before i barged in?" he asked.

she huffed out a smile before answering, "something you couldn't answer the last time." she stared into space before continuing, "like, why me out of all those amazing ladies out there who stun every man with their perfect bodies and looks? the ones who've got the perfect face, glassy skin, long beautiful flowy hair, perfect curvy body, big boo-"

"okay, stop. you're getting a little too fruity here."

"am i?" hoseok nodded.

"but that is not my point of being fruity here! hobi you answer this, as a man yourself, what kind of woman do you want?" she didn't let the man answer as she answered her own question, "of course a tall, curvy woman with healthy long hair!" she concluded with heavy breaths before gulping and shaking her head. "listen, i don't fit in with these beauty standards!" she pulled her hair while heaving a long sigh.

hobi took a note that this girl was turning crazier day by day. and it only turned him more ambitious on catching this jerk. he shook his head before looking at her in her eyes, "hyejin-ah, the thing here is not just about physical appearances." he reasoned with a voice steadier and calmer than her. "what you are within matters too. and physical features don't really count if you are a good person from within."

"what's this?" hyejin looked at him in the eye. "you got better in these than the last time i talked about it!" she joked while fist bumping him on his arm.

"it hurts!" hobi exclaimed in pain as he covered his arm.

"of course it will." she laughed while rolling her eyes.

they walked together with silence filled between them. as they were making their way towards the small café in front of them, hyejin stopped.

"is there something wrong?" asked hobi.

"hobi- can we do this some other time?" she interrupted. as they stood a few feets apart staring at each other, hoseok noticed the change in her eyes. as if the limits which she used to shrug off in nonchalance now bound her away from her world.

"what?" he asked, confused.

"the treat. i've to finish the work namjoon gave me and i've to run some errands mom gave me." she averted her eyes from him.

hoseok knew. but he slid it away with a smile as he nodded. "okay, see you tomorrow."

it was the first time hyejin had ever let the futile limits bound her.

a/n:- the update days are saturdays and sundays. but i might miss one or two weeks due to my mid terms. sorry for the wait.

and... how do you like hyejin so far? 👀